The Tycoon's Marriage Deal

A virgin’s passionate awakening

Ruthless playboy Blake McClelland dominates in the boardroom and commands in the bedroom. So when he’s required to produce a fianc'ee in order to clinch the most important deal of his life, his solution is as coldhearted as Blake himself—he’ll choose a woman innocent enough to convince the world he’s a reformed man!

After being jilted at the altar, shy bakery owner Matilda Toppington is in no hurry to wear another man’s ring. Blake’s cynical proposition is scandalously, shockingly outrageous—of course she should refuse! Unless Tillie dares surrender to the unknown pleasures his sinful gaze promises...

‘I’m not leaving until I get what I want.’

Something about the set of Blake’s jaw made Tillie realise he had the steely will and determination to achieve whatever he put his mind to. And the ruthlessness.

She kept her gaze on his. ‘Haven’t you heard the wise old adage that you can’t always get what you want?’

Blake glanced at her mouth, then at the swell of her breasts behind her conservatively buttoned cotton shirt, lingered there for a nanosecond before returning his gaze to hers in a lock that ignited something deep inside her body. It was as if their eyes were communicating on an entirely different level—a primal, instinctive level that was as thrilling to her as it was foreign.

No one had ever looked at her like...that.

As if he were wondering what her mouth would feel like against his. As if he were wondering what she looked like without her practical, no-nonsense clothing. As if he were wondering how she would taste and feel when he put his mouth and tongue to her naked flesh...

MELANIE MILBURNE read her first Mills & Boon novel at the age of seventeen, in between studying for her final exams. After completing a Master’s degree in education she decided to write a novel, and thus her career as a romance author was born. Melanie is an ambassador for the Australian Childhood Foundation and a keen dog-lover and trainer. She enjoys long walks in the Tasmanian bush. In 2015 Melanie won the HOLT Medallion—a prestigious award honouring outstanding literary talent.

Books by Melanie Milburne

Mills & Boon Modern Romance

The Temporary Mrs Marchetti

Unwrapping His Convenient Fianc'ee His Mistress for a Week At No Man’s Command

One Night With Consequences

A Ring for the Greek’s Baby

Wedlocked!

Wedding Night with Her Enemy

The Ravensdale Scandals

Ravensdale’s Defiant Captive

Awakening the Ravensdale Heiress Engaged to Her Ravensdale Enemy The Most Scandalous Ravensdale

The Playboys of Argentina

The Valquez Bride

The Valquez Seduction

Those Scandalous Caffarellis

Never Say No to a Caffarelli

Never Underestimate a Caffarelli Never Gamble with a Caffarelli

Visit the Author Profile page

at millsandboon.co.uk for more titles.

The Tycoon’s Marriage Deal

Melanie Milburne

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To the Dangerous Liaisons Divas, Margie Lawson Advanced Immersion Class, Melbourne 2016—Lauren James, Kristin Meachem, Natasha Daraio, Michelle Somers and of course the marvellous Margie! A special thank-you to Kristin’s parents, Bill and Anna McKay, who hosted our class in their gorgeous home.

And another special thank-you

to my dentist, Dr Jim Rushton, for the use of his cute labradoodle’s name!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

IT WAS THE best wedding cake Tillie had ever decorated but now there wasn’t going to be a wedding. Her dream wedding. The wedding she had planned and looked forward to for more years than she wanted to count. She looked at the triple-tier wedding cake with the intricate orange blossom petals she’d taken hours and hours to craft. They were so darn realistic you could almost smell them. The finely detailed lacework around the sides of the cake had all but made her cross-eyed. She had even given the marzipan bride on the top of the cake her chestnut hair and pale complexion and brown eyes, and used a tiny scrap of fabric from her own wedding dress and veil to make a replica outfit.

Although...she’d taken a little licence with the bride’s figure and made her look as if she spent her life in the gym rather than hours in a kitchen surrounded by yummy cakes that had to be tasted to get the balance of flavours just right.

The groom was exactly like Simon—blond and blue-eyed—although the tuxedo she’d painted on him was now pock-marked with pinholes.

Tillie picked up another dressmaking pin and aimed it at the groom’s groin. ‘Take that, you cheat.’ Who knew marzipan figurines could make such great voodoo dolls? Maybe she could do a side line business for jilted brides, making break-up cakes with an effigy of their ex.